Back off setting device



c. c. BROWN 2,123,930

BACK OFF SETTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 50, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 19, 1938.

O0 OO C. C. BRflW/V l N V EN TOR.

m Y m w A TTORNEYS July 19, 1938. C Q BROWN 2,123,930

BACK OFF SETTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 30, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 11m ew C. C. BROWN INVElzgOR 35% AM I; 3 2 F3 4 ATTORNEYS July 19, 1938. c, c, BRQWN' 2,123,930

BACK OFF SETTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 30, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 6,6, BROWN INVENTOR BY MUM ATTORN EYS Patented July 19, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 14 Claims.

My invention relates to a device for setting pipe in wells and has particular reference to setting tools whereby a strainer with liner and packer thereon may be lowered into the well and fixed in position.

In the operation of devices such as this the string 01' pipe which is employed to lower the strainer and packer assembly into fixed position at the bottom of the well is termed the setting string. This string of pipe usually has a detachable connection with the assembly which is lowered into the well and may after the setting operation has been performed be released and removed from the well. It has become somewhat common to use the setting string as a tubing to flow the fluid from the well.

A difficulty may arise, in connection with the use of the setting string as a flow line, that sand may pack in around the lower end of the string and within the strainer so that when it becomes necessary to remove or adjust the position of the tubing or setting string it will be found to be fixed or frozen in position due to the packed sand so that it can not be withdrawn.

My invention has as an object to provide a connection between the setting string and the liner above or within the liner which can be manipulated so as to be releasable by a righthand turn in case the lower end thereof becomes sanded up and stuck in the well.

I desire to provide a back off connection which will be inoperative during the operation of lowering and setting the strainer but which will be rendered operative thereafter in the setting of the packer.

I desire to provide a locking engagement between the packer setting device and the lower end or wash pipe employed upon the setting string which will allow unscrewing of the said connection until the string has been properly manipulated in the well so as to release the locking means and allow the connection, to beunscrewed.

The invention comprises a mandrel connected with the wash pipe and having thereon a looking sleeve which prevents unscrewing of the main portion of the setting string from the wash pipe until the locking means has been released by a relative upward movement of the locking sleeve on the mandrel.

The invention resides in the particular construction of the device and the details of which will be better understood from inspection of the drawings herewith, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section through the lower end of the well showing my device therein, certain parts being broken away for clearness.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 1 but showing the packer in set position and the 5 locking connection released.

Fig. '3 is a similar longitudinal section showing the mandrel and upper portion of the setting string released from the wash pipe.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the packer set- 10 ting device and the locking mechanism connected therewith,

Fig. 5 is a broken detail of the lower end of the latching sleeve.

Fig. 5a is a bottom plan View of said sleeve.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the plane 6-6 of Fig. 4. I

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the mandrel and locking sleeve removed from the wash pipe.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 4 but with the locking means in released position.

Fig. 9 shows the parts disconnected from each other.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the latching slips employed with the packer setting mechanism; and

Fig. 11 is a sectional View of the lower end of v the well showing the strainer and liner sanded up so as to prevent the removal of the wash pipe at the lower end of the setting string.

I contemplate employing my setting device in connection with any ordinary type of strainer and packer such as are now commonly used in oil field work. In the drawings, such an assembly is illustrated. Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it will be noted that the strainer which is shown at I has at the lower end thereof a housing 2 for the back pressure valve and a lower guide shoe or bit 3 to guide the Strainer into the lower end of the hole and not allow rotation thereof in setting the assembly upon the bottom. The strainer I may be of any ordinary type. I have shown a perforated pipe. Said pipe is secured by the coupling l to the lower end of the packer barrel 5. Said barrel has an upwaredly extending portion 6, which has a ratchet surface on the outer side in the usual manner to cooperate with a latching sleeve 1 to which the upper end of the canvas packer 8 is connected. To the latching sleeve 1 is secured the setting barrel 9 at the upper end of which is secured a special collar I0 adapted to engage with the packer setting dogs. For this purpose there is an inner undercut portion having a lower shoulder II thereon against which the dogs may engage and it will be seen that when weight is imposed upon the shoulder I I so as to exert a downward thrust upon the setting barrel 9 the latching collar I will be forced downwardly to compress the packer into the position shown in Fig. 2.

In lowering this assembly into the well, the well above the producing formation I2 is or dinarily equipped with a casing such as shown at I3. The strainerand packer assembly will be lowered into position and the packer will then be set. The setting string with which this is accomplished will now be noted. As shown particularly in Fig. 3, the lower end of the setting string is equipped with a Wash pipe I4, which has a lefthand threaded portion I5 to be screwed within a bushing I6 mounted in the upper end of the set shoe at the lower end of the strainer. This lefthand connection may be unscrewed, as will be obvious, by righthand rotation of the setting string when the parts are to be disengaged therefrom. In Fig. 3 the wash pipe is shown as being disconnected and drawn upwardly away from the bushing. The part I4 is referred to as a. wash pipe for the reason that it furnishes a passage for washing liquid downwardly through the strainer and around the lower end of the well when the well is being cleaned and before the packer is set. After the packer is set the wash pipe may be unscrewed and raised away from the lower end and fluid may then be pumped through the inside of the strainer to clean that portion thereof.

At the upper end of the wash pipe is a special nipple H, the structure of which is indicated clearly in Fig. 4. It has its upper end enlarged and threaded at I8 to engage with the lower end of the mandrel I9. This threaded connection at I8 may, if desired, be a lefthand thread which can be disengaged by a righthand rotation of the string. This relative rotation necessary for unscrewing at this point, however, is prevented by the engagement of the upper end of the nipple I! with a latching sleeve 20. To cooperate with this sleeve the upper end of the nipple has two opposite upwardly extending clutch members 2| adapted to interengage with recesses 22 formed in the lower end of the locking sleeve.

The mandrel I9 extends upwardly through the locking sleeve and has a threaded engagement with the lower end of a collar 23 by means of which it may be connected to the pipe 24 extending upwardly to the surface. Below this connection with the collar 23 the outer surface of the mandrel is formed with upwardly inclined ratchet teeth 25, these teeth extending along the mandrel downwardly for a suitable distance and are thus adapted to cooperate with a slip or latching dog 26.

The latching sleeve 20 is threaded on its outer surface at the upper end to engage within a packer setting collar 21. Said collar engages at its upper end with the ring 28 which has on its inner side an upwardly tapering seat 29 to cooperate with the outer tapered surface of the sli or dog 26 so as to hold said dog, in engagement with the ratchet teeth 25 on the mandrel. Said dog has a slight relative longitudinal movement within the tapered socket and above a shoulder 30 on the sleeve 27. At the lower end of the sleeve 21 is a downwardly extending skirt 3| spaced from the locking sleeve 20 and undercut to provide a shoulder at 32 to engage with the upper end of the setting dog 33.

The setting dogs 33 are arcuate plates adapted to lie against the outer surface of the locking sleeve 20 but spaced therefrom at their lower ends by spring arm 34, said arms thus urging the lower ends of the dogs 33 resiliently outwardly to engage above the shoulder in the collar II], as previously noted. Adjacent their upper ends the plates or dogs 33 each has an outer transverse recess to fit into engagement with the lower end of the skirt 3|. This forms a type of pivotal connection between the upper ends of the dogs and the sleeve 21 which allows the lower ends of each dog to be swung inwardly as the setting device is inserted downwardly into the pipe. There is a frangible pin 35 extended through the collar 21 and the locking sleeve 20 and fitted into a recess in the mandrel thus holding the locking sleeve in position engaging within the upper end of the nipple I'I. On the outer surface of the mandrel at the lower end thereof are two opposite outwardly extending lugs 36, which are best seen in Fig. 6, engaging within the lower end of the locking sleeve and holding said sleeve nonrotatable relative to the mandrel.

In the operation of this device the setting string will be secured with the threaded lower end I5 of the wash pipe screwed into the bushing I6, thus forming a fluid tight connection at that point and providing a support for the packer and strainer assembly while it is being lowered into the well. The packer and setting device will be in collapsed position, as shown in Fig. 1.

When the device has been worked down to bottom the first operation will be to wash through the wash pipe and bushing I6 and around the lower end of the set shoe to wash the interior of the well and the outer surface of the strainer. When this has been accomplished the rotation of the setting string in a righthand direction will release the connection at I5 and the setting string may then be moved relatively upwardly to bring the packer setting dogs or plates 33 into position, as shown in Fig. 2, with said dogs resting upon the shoulder II in the packer setting barrel. The weight of the string may then be lowered so as to exert a downward thrust upon the setting barrel to compress the packer downwardly into the Fig. 2 position.

While the weight of the string is upon the setting tool to compress the packer the downward thrust thereon will shear the pin, which connects the locking sleeve with the mandrel, and the mandrel will move relatively downwardly through the locking sleeve so as to move the sleeve and the packer setting dogs upwardly along the mandrel into the position shown in Figs. 2 and 8. With reference particularly to Fig. 8, it will be noted that as the locking sleeve moves relatively upwardly along the ratchet teeth 25 a reverse movement thereafter of the locking sleeve will be prevented. The locking sleeve will thus be out of engagement with the teeth or projections 2| upon the nipple I! and the mandrel may then be unscrewed when desired. This unscrewing, however, will only be done in case of necessity. It is common to leave the setting string extending downwardly into the strainer assembly as far as desired so as to employ this string as an eduction tube to allow the flow of fluid from the well.

In case the wash pipe at the lower end of the string becomes sanded up, as shown in Fig. 11, and thus stuck in the well to such an extent that it can not be withdrawn then the rotation of the setting string. or flow tubing will cause the mm screwing of the mandrel from the nipple I! so that they may be detached from each other as shown in Fig. 3, thus allowing the setting string to be removed, leaving only the wash pipe remaining in the well.

It will be possible by special tools provided for fishing to then out off and remove the wash pipe so that the well may be cleaned ready for production again. The advantage of this back off connection lies in the fact that the setting string may be used for a rotation of the screen with the set shoe thereon as is necessary in going into the well and getting firmly on the bottomand other rotations may be made as is necessary in unscrewing the wash pipe from the lower end of the strainer. It enables the operator, however, to unscrew the upper end of the wash pipe after these necessary rotations have been completed. This is, therefore, a safety device which allows the manipulations that are necessary in setting the assembly to be properly and positively performed with no danger whatever of unscrewing until it becomes desirable to do so.

What is claimed as new is:

1. The combination with a strainer, a liner thereon and a packer on said liner, of a setting device, including a wash pipe, means to secure said pipe detachably at the lower end of said strainer, a mandrel, a threaded nipple connecting said mandrel to said wash pipe, a locking sleeve on said mandrel engageable with means on said nipple to prevent relative rotation of said mandrel and nipple, frangible means to hold said sleeve in locking engagement with said nipple, packer setting dogs on said sleeve, said sleeve being releasable from locking engagement with said nipple through a downward thrust of said mandrel relative to said sleeve and dogs to break said frangible means, whereby said mandrel may be then unscrewed from said pipe.

2. The combination with a strainer, a liner thereon and a packer on said liner, of a setting device, including a wash pipe, means to secure said pipe detachably at the lower end of said strainer, a mandrel, a threaded nipple connecting said mandrel to said wash pipe, a locking sleeve on said mandrel engageable with means on said nipple to prevent unscrewing of said mandrel from said nipple, packer setting dogs on said locking sleeve, means responsive to a downward thrust on said mandrel to engage said dogs upon said packer to set said packer and simultaneously release said locking sleeve whereby said mandrel may be unscrewed from said nipple.

3. The combination with a strainer, a liner thereon and a packer on said liner, of a setting device, including a wash pipe, means to secure said pipe detachably at the lower end of said strainer, a mandrel, a threaded nipple connecting said mandrel to said wash pipe, a clutch on said nipple, a locking sleeve on said mandrel, a clutch on said sleeve normally engaging the clutch on said nipple, means on said mandrel to normally communicate rotative movement to said sleeve, packer engaging means on said sleeve adapted on a downward thrust of said mandrel to engage and set said packer and disengage said clutch members.

4. A back off setting device including a wash pipe, a nipple thereon, a mandrel screwed into said nipple, a locking sleeve on said mandrel, clutch members on said sleeve and said nipple normally engaged to prevent relative rotation of said mandrel and nipple, means on said mandrel to rotate said sleeve, a shear pin connecting said sleeve to said nipple, and packer setting dogs on said sleeve to engage upon a support whereby said sleeve may be moved relatively upward on said mandrel to shear said pin and to release said clutch.

5. A back off setting device including a wash pipe, a nipple thereon, a mandrel screwed into said nipple, a locking sleeve on said mandrel, clutch members on said sleeve and said nipple normally engaged to prevent relative rotation of said mandrel and nipple, laterally projecting lugs on said mandrel engaging slots in said sleeve to normally prevent relative rotation of said sleeve on said mandrel, a shear pin connecting said sleeve to said nipple, and packer setting dogs on said sleeve to engage upon a support whereby said sleeve may be moved relatively upward on said mandrel to shear said pin and to release said clutch.

6. A back off setting device including a wash pipe, a nipple thereon, a mandrel screwed into said nipple, a locking sleeve on said mandrel, clutch members on said sleeve and said nipple normally engaged to prevent relative rotation of said mandrel and nipple, means on said mandrel to rotate said sleeve, means to hold said sleeve releasably upon said mandrel, laterally yieldable dogs on said sleeve formed to engage upon a support, whereby a downward thrust on said mandrel will release said sleeve and move said mandrel relatively downwardly therein and disengage said clutch members.

7. A back off setting device including a wash pipe, a nipple thereon, a mandrel screwed into said nipple, a locking sleeve on said mandrel, clutch members on said sleeve and said nipple normally engaged to prevent relative rotation of said mandrel and nipple, means on said mandrel to rotate said sleeve, a. shear pin connecting said sleeve to said nipple, and packer setting dogs on said sleeve to engage upon a support whereby said sleeve may be moved relatively upward on said mandrel to shear said pin and to release said clutch, and means to hold said sleeve against downward movement on said mandrel.

8. A back off setting device including a wash pipe, a nipple thereon,- a mandrel screwed into said nipple, a locking sleeve on said mandrel, clutch members on said sleeve and said nipple normally engaged to prevent relative rotation of said mandrel and nipple, laterally projecting lugs on said mandrel engaging slots in said sleeve to normally prevent relative rotation of said sleeve on said mandrel, a shear pin connecting said sleeve to said nipple, packer setting dogs on said sleeve to engage upon a support whereby said sleeve may be moved relatively upward on said mandrel to shear said pin and to release said clutch, and a slip on said sleeve engaging said mandrel and positioned to prevent downward movement of said sleeve on said mandrel.

9. A packer and strainer assembly including a packer expanding barrel, in combination with a setting device including a wash pipe, means to detachably engage said wash pipe at the lower end of said strainer, a nipple at the upper end of said wash pipe, a mandrel screwed within said nipple, a locking means on said mandrel engaging said nipple to prevent unscrewing of said mandrel from said wash pipe, and means on said locking means adapted to engage said barrel to release said locking means, responsive to a downward thrust on said mandrel relative thereto.

10. A packer and strainer assembly including a packer expanding barrel, in combination with a setting device including a wash pipe, means to detachably engage said wash pipe .at the lower end of said strainer,.a.nipple at the upper end of said wash pipe, a mandrel screwed within said nipple, a locking sleeve on said mandrel, locking means thereon engaging said nipple to prevent unscrewing of said mandrel, lugs on said mandrel engaging within slots in said sleeve, means on said sleeve to engage said packer expanding barrel and support said sleeve, whereby said mandrel may be moved relatively downward to release said locking means.

11. A packer and strainer setting device including a wash pipe, a mandrel, means releasably connecting said pipe and mandrel, a clutch on said mandrel and pipe normally preventing relative rotation, and means on said clutch to engage a support and hold said clutch from downward movement, whereby a relative downward movement of said mandrel will disengage said clutch to permit relative rotation .of said mandrel and pipe.

12. A packer and strainer setting device including a wash pipe, a mandrel, means releasably connecting said pipe and mandrel, a clutch on said mandrel and pipe normally preventing relative rotation, and means on said clutch to engage a support and hold said clutch from downward movement, whereby a relative downward movement of said mandrel will disengage said clutch to permit relative rotation of said mandrel'and pipe, and means to thereafter prevent re-engagement of said clutch.

13. In a setting string for strainers and the like, a threaded nipple, a mandrel on said string secured thereto, a sleeve upon said mandrel, interengaging clutch members on said sleeve and said nipple, frangible means to retain said sleeve in position with said clutch members engaged, dogs on said sleeve, and means to urge the lower ends of said dogs resiliently outwardly, whereby said dogs may be engaged upon a support and said'frangible means broken to release said clutch.

14. A setting string, a mandrel thereon, a connecting nipple screwed upon the lower end of said mandrel, a clutch sleeve on said mandrel, interengaging teeth on said sleeve and said nipple, detachable means securing said sleeve to said mandrel, dogs on said sleeve adapted to be engaged upon a support to detach and move said sleeve to disengage said teeth and allow unscrewing of said mandrel from said nipple.

CICERO C. BROWN. 

